Kasab retracts confession, says it was made under duress

Mumbai, Apr 17 (ANI): Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone survivour of Mumbai terror attacks, has retracted his confession, saying he was forced to confess under duress.

SG Abbas Kazmi, who was appointed Kasab's lawyer, had earlier claimed that he was a minor and that the trial should be held in a juvenile court. The court, however, rejected the application moved by Kasab's lawyer.

Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam objected to this, saying Kasab in his own admission had told the court that he is 22. The defence lawyer could not prove his claim and the court rejected the application.

Kasab has been charged with criminal conspiracy, waging war against nation, committing robbery and has also been under various other Indian Penal Code sections.

Kasab has also been charged with the murder of Mumbai police officials Hemant Karkare, Tukaram Ombale, Vijay Salaskar, and Ashok Kamte.

Kasab has been booked for direct involvement in seven cases and as a co-conspirator in five cases. He has also been indirectly charged with killing people at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST).

The trial of Amir Kasab began here on Friday at the special session court inside the heavily-guarded Arthur Road Jail here.

Nikam said that Kasab was an active member of conspiracy that was hatched in Pakistan to commit terror attacks in India.

Kasab also reportedly confessed that he was the best shooter in the team.

"The Pakistani army official was impressed by my firing skills with the Kalashnikov and he also said I was the best shooter in the team. I was the destroyer," Kasab reportedly confessed.

Kasab also mentioned the involvement of Pakistani officials in the Mumbai attacks. The confession mentioned that a serving member of the Pakistani Army, Colonel Saadat Ullah, has allegedly helped to set up the internet telephony system through which the gunmen received instruction from their Pakistan-based handlers.

He also revealed that he and the other nine terrorists were given training in trekking, warfare in sea, operating Global Positioning System, how to find direction and navigate in unknown and. (ANI)